A North Port man who prosecutors say exploited a parental role to repeatedly abuse a child has been ordered to spend 67 years in state prison, according to court records and prosecutors. The sentence was handed down June 17 in Sarasota County after a jury found him guilty of a series of offenses that occurred between May 2022 and March 2023.
Conviction and Sentence
In a release from the Twelfth Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office, officials said 36-year-old Wilney Orozco De Leon was convicted by a jury of four counts of sexual battery on a person less than 18 years of age by a person in familial authority. He was sentenced to 67 years in the Florida Department of Corrections. Judge Danielle Brewer presided over the hearing.
Assistant State Attorney Jeff Feher said in the release that prosecutors laid out what they described as a “sustained pattern of emotional manipulation” and threats that kept the child from speaking up about the abuse.
Trial and Investigation
According to WWSB, the trial began February 23 and lasted three days at the Sarasota County Courthouse. The station reported that the North Port Police Department investigated the case and that Detective Kishia Veigel served as the lead investigator.
Prosecutors told jurors the crimes started after the victim moved into a home where Orozco De Leon had taken on a father-figure role, a shift they argued opened the door for the pattern of abuse that followed.
Arrest and Case Details
Court records show Orozco De Leon was arrested in North Port in 2023 and later brought to trial. During proceedings, prosecutors presented testimony and other evidence that they said demonstrated both a long-running pattern of abuse and threats aimed at keeping the victim silent.
The Twelfth Judicial Circuit has said the resulting prison term “provides the assurance” that Orozco De Leon will not have the opportunity to harm others.
Legal Notes
Because the convictions meet Florida’s legal criteria for a sexual predator designation, Orozco De Leon will be classified as a sexual predator and, if he is ever released, will be required to register with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. State guidance explains that designated predators must keep their registration information current, including their address, and face criminal penalties if they fail to comply.
Officials noted that the State Attorney’s Office release on the case includes contact information for anyone with questions about the prosecution or outcome.
The Twelfth Judicial Circuit’s release also highlights that the office prosecutes cases in Manatee, Sarasota and DeSoto counties, and local outlets followed this case through trial and sentencing. For readers who want the full breakdown straight from prosecutors, the State Attorney’s Office has posted its complete announcement on the newsroom section of its website.
